This data set is a digital soil survey and generally is the most
detailed level of soil geographic data developed by the National
Cooperative Soil Survey. The information was prepared by digitizing
maps, by compiling information onto a planimetric correct base
and digitizing, or by revising digitized maps using remotely
sensed and other information.
This data set consists of georeferenced digital map data and
computerized attribute data. The map data are in a soil survey area
extent format and include a detailed, field verified inventory
of soils and miscellaneous areas that normally occur in a repeatable
pattern on the landscape and that can be cartographically shown at
the scale mapped. A special soil features layer (point and line
features) is optional. This layer displays the location of features
too small to delineate at the mapping scale, but they are large
enough and contrasting enough to significantly influence use and
management. The soil map units are linked to attributes in the
National Soil Information System relational database, which gives
the proportionate extent of the component soils and their properties.

Purpose:
SSURGO depicts information about the kinds and distribution of
soils on the landscape. The soil map and data used in the SSURGO
product were prepared by soil scientists as part of the National
Cooperative Soil Survey.

Supplemental_Information:
Digital versions of hydrography, cultural features, and other
associated layers that are not part of the SSURGO data set may be
available from the primary organization listed in the Point of
Contact.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation
Service, should be acknowledged as the data source in products
derived from these data.
This data set is not designed for use as a primary regulatory tool
in permitting or citing decisions, but may be used as a reference
source. This is public information and may be interpreted by
organizations, agencies, units of government, or others based on
needs; however, they are responsible for the appropriate
application. Federal, State, or local regulatory bodies are not to
reassign to the Natural Resources Conservation Service any
authority for the decisions that they make. The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will not perform any evaluations of these maps
for purposes related solely to State or local regulatory programs.
Photographic or digital enlargement of these maps to scales greater
than at which they were originally mapped can cause misinterpretation
of the data. If enlarged, maps do not show the small areas of
contrasting soils that could have been shown at a larger scale. The
depicted soil boundaries, interpretations, and analysis derived from
them do not eliminate the need for onsite sampling, testing, and
detailed study of specific sites for intensive uses. Thus, these data
and their interpretations are intended for planning purposes only.
Digital data files are periodically updated. Files are dated, and
users are responsible for obtaining the latest version of the data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:
Attribute accuracy is tested by manual
comparison of the source with hard copy plots and/or symbolized
display of the map data on an interactive computer graphic system.
Selected attributes that cannot be visually verified on plots or
on screen are interactively queried and verified on screen. In
addition, the attributes are tested against a master set of valid
attributes. All attribute data conform to the attribute codes in
the signed classification and correlation document and amendment(s).

Logical_Consistency_Report:

Certain node/geometry and topology GT- polygon/chain relationships
are collected or generated to satisfy topological requirements
(the GT-polygon corresponds to the soil delineation). Some of these
requirements include: chains must begin and end at nodes, chains
must connect to each other at nodes, chains do not extend through
nodes, left and right GT-polygons are defined for each chain
element and are consistent throughout, and the chains representing
the limits of the file are free of gaps. The tests of logical
consistency are performed using vendor software. All internal
polygons are tested for closure with vendor software and are checked
on hard copy plots. All data are checked for common soil lines (i.e.,
adjacent polygons with the same label). Edge locations generally do
not deviate from centerline to centerline by more than 0.01 inch.
The quadrangles in this survey are edge matched to quadrangles in adjacent
SSURGO certified soil surveys, Montgomery, Albany, Schoharie, and
Saratoga Counties, New York, and the survey area boundaries match.
Most feature edges (polygon and line segments) match adjacent ones in
the edge matched survey areas and most feature labels match the
adjacent feature labels in edge matched surveys.
Descriptive attributes (tabular information about the polygons and line
segments) were developed specifically for each survey area. Although most
don't match exactly, the descriptive attributes of most polygon and line
segments in this survey are nearly the same as adjacent ones in edge matched
soil surveys.

Completeness_Report:

A map unit is a collection of areas defined and named in terms of
their soil components or miscellaneous areas or both. Each map
unit differs in some respect from all others in a survey area and
each map unit has a symbol that uniquely identifies the map unit
on a soil map. Each individual area, point, or line so identified
on the map is a delineation.
Soil Scientists identify small areas of soils or miscellaneous areas
that have properties and behavior significantly different than the
named soils in the surrounding map unit. These minor components
may be indicated as special features. If they have a minimal effect
on use and management, or could not be precisely located, they may
not be indicated on the map.
A map unit has specified kinds of soils or miscellaneous areas
(map unit components), each with a designated range in
proportionate extent. Map units include one or more kinds of soil
or miscellaneous area. Miscellaneous areas are areas that have little
or no recognizable soil.
Specific National Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures
were used in the classification of soils, design and name of map
units, and location of special soil features. These standards are
outlined in Agricultural Handbook 18, Soil Survey Manual, 1993,
USDA, NRCS; Agricultural Handbook 436, Soil Taxonomy, 1995,
USDA, NRCS; and all Amendments; Keys to Soil Taxonomy,
(current issue) USDA, NRCS; National Soil Survey
Handbook, title 430-VI,(current issue) USDA, NRCS.
The actual composition and interpretive purity of the map unit
delineations were based on data collected by scientists during
the course of preparing the soil maps. Adherence to National
Cooperative Soil Survey standards and procedures is based on
peer review, quality control, and quality assurance. Quality
control is outlined in the memorandum of understanding for the
soil survey area and in documents that reside with the Natural
Resources Conservation Service state soil scientist. Four kinds
of map units are used in soil surveys: consociations, complexes,
associations, and undifferentiated groups.
Consociations - Consociations are named for the dominant soil.
In a consociation, delineated areas use a single name from the
dominant component in the map unit. Dissimilar components are
minor in extent. The soil component in a consociation may be
identified at any taxonomic level. Soil series is the lowest
taxonomic level. A consociation that is named as a miscellaneous
area is dominantly that kind of area and minor components do not
significantly affect the use of the map unit. The total amount of
dissimilar inclusions of other components in a map unit generally
does not exceed about 15 percent if limiting and 25 percent if
nonlimiting. A single component of a dissimilar limiting inclusion
generally does not exceed 10 percent if very contrasting.
Complexes and associations - Complexes and associations consist
of two or more dissimilar components that occur in a regularly
repeating pattern. The total amount of other dissimilar components
is minor extent. The following arbitrary rule determines whether
complex or association is used in the name. The major components
of an association can be separated at the scale of mapping. In
either case, because the major components are sufficiently different
in morphology or behavior, the map unit cannot be called a
consociation. In each delineation of a complex or an association,
each major component is normally present though their proportions
may vary appreciably from one delineation to another. The total
amount of inclusions in a map unit that are dissimilar to any of
the major components does not exceed 15 percent if limiting and
25 percent if nonlimiting. A single kind of dissimilar limiting
inclusion usually does not exceed 10 percent.
Undifferentiated groups - Undifferentiated groups consist of two
or more components that are not consistently associated
geographically and, therefore, do not always occur together in
the same map delineation. These components are included in the
same named map unit because their use and management are the same
or very similar for common uses. Generally they are grouped together
because some common feature, such as steepness, stoniness, or
flooding, determines their use and management. If two or more
additional map units would serve no useful purpose, they may be
included in the same unit. Each delineation has at least one of the
major components, and some may have all of them. The same principles
regarding the proportion of minor components that apply to
consociations also apply to undifferentiated groups. The same
principles regarding proportion of inclusion apply to
undifferentiated groups as to consociations.
Minimum documentation consists of three complete soil profile
descriptions that are collected for each soil added to the legend,
one additional per 3,000 acres mapped; three 10 observation
transects for each map unit, one additional 10 point transect per
3,000 acres.
A defined standard or level of confidence in the interpretive
purity of the map unit delineations is attained by adjusting the
kind and intensity of field investigations. Field investigations
and data collection are carried out in sufficient detail to name
map units and to identify accurately and consistently areas of
about 4 acres.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

The accuracy of these digital data is based upon their
compilation to base maps that meet National Map
Accuracy Standards at a scale of 1 inch equals 1,000
feet. The difference in positional accuracy between the
soil boundaries and special soil features locations in the
field and their digitized map locations is unknown. The
locational accuracy of soil delineations on the ground varies
with the transition between map units.
For example, on long gently sloping landscapes the transition
occurs gradually over many feet. Where landscapes change
abruptly from steep to level, the transition will be very
narrow. Soil delineation boundaries and special soil features
generally were digitized within 0.01 inch of their locations on
the digitizing source. The digital map elements are edge matched
between data sets. The data along each quadrangle edge are
matched against the data for the adjacent quadrangle. Edge
locations generally do not deviate from centerline to centerline
by more than 0.01 inch.

Lineage:

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: U.S Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service

Publication_Date: 1978

Title: Soil Survey of Montgomery and Schenectady Counties, New York

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: atlas

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Washington, D.C.

Publisher: U.S. Government Printing Office

Source_Scale_Denominator: 15840

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 1972

Source_Currentness_Reference: final correlation date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: SCS1

Source_Contribution: soil attributes and special feature locations

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Publication_Date: unpublished material

Title: publication annotation overlays

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map

Source_Scale_Denominator: 15840

Type_of_Source_Media: film

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 1972

Source_Currentness_Reference: final correlation date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NRCS1

Source_Contribution:
final publication negatives used to develop film
positives

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Originator:
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Publication_Date: unpublished material

Title: annotated soil delineation overlays

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: map

Source_Scale_Denominator: 12000

Type_of_Source_Media: stable-base material

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1994

Ending_Date: 1996

Source_Currentness_Reference: date aerial photography was flown

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NRCS7

Source_Contribution: scanning and digitizing source

Source_Information:

Source_Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator:
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Publication_Date: 2006

Title: National Soil Information System (NASIS) data base

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: tabular digital data

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Fort Collins, Colorado

Publisher:
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Natural Resources Conservation Service

Type_of_Source_Media: database

Source_Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 2006

Ending_Date: 2006

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Source_Contribution: attribute (tabular) information

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
Schenectady County had a soil survey published in
1978, at 1:15840 scale. An evaluation was made of the soil survey in
2001. It was determined that the soil map unit delineations and map unit
components were accurate.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: SCS1

Process_Date: 2001

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
Ratioed film positives, at 1:12000 scale, were made
from the publication annotation overlays. Soil map unit delineations,
soil symbols and special soil features were manually compiled from the
film positives to stable-base material registered to 3.75 minute
orthophotographic quadrangles. Errors from the published soil survey
were corrected and map unit boundaries were refined, as needed, to the
orthophotographic quadrangles.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NRCS1, NRCS2, NRCS3, NRCS5

Process_Date: 2005

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
The National Soil Information System data base was
developed by Natural Resources Conservation Service soil scientists
according to national standards.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: SCS1, NRCS6

Process_Date: 2006

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
The compiled soil and feature overlays were mailed
to the Wisconsin Digitizing Unit in Madison, Wisconsin. The 3.75 minute
soil map unit delineation and label overlays were raster scanned by
Midwest Graphics, Kenosha, Wisconsin at 250 dpi on an Intergraph Anatech
scanner in tiff uncompressed format. The data were sent to the Wisconsin
Digitizing Unit in Madison, Wisconsin. Four control points used,
corresponded to the four corners on the 3.75 minute quadrangles were,
used for registration during data collection. The tiff files were
imported into ArcGIS 9.1 ArcMap. The tiff files were georeferenced in
ArcMap. Using the raster cleanup tools, the tiff files were cleaned,
edge-matched and vectorized to a polygon feature class. Using the label
overlay tiff files as a back drop, the soil polygons were attributed and
line and point features classes were digitized and labeled. A digital
county boundary was added and soil lines were edgematched to the
surrounding counties Using topology rules, errors were identified and
corrected. The data were then exported to polygon, line, and point
coverages using ArcCatalog. Next, the data were then projected to
Geographic coordinates in decimal degrees and run through the 20040524
ReCert AMLs provided by NCGC and uploaded to the Soil Data Warehouse for
archival and distribution.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NRCS4, NRCS7

Process_Date: 2006

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or
delegate, upon completion of data quality verification, determined
that the tabular data should be released for official use. A
selected set of map units and components in the soil survey legend was
copied to a staging database, and rating values for selected
interpretations were generated. The list of selected interpretations is
stored in the database table named sainterp.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Process_Date: 20060821

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or
delegate verified that the labels on the digitized soil map units
link to map units in the tabular database, and certified the joined
data sets for release to the Soil Data Warehouse. A system assigned
version number and date stamp were added and the data were copied to
the data warehouse. The tabular data for the map units and components
were extracted from the data warehouse and reformatted into the soil
data delivery data model, then stored in the Soil Data Mart. The spatial
data were copied to the Soil Data Mart without change.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Process_Date: 20060821

Process_Step:

Process_Description:
The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or
delegate, upon completion of data quality verification, determined
that the tabular data should be released for official use. A
selected set of map units and components in the soil survey legend was
copied to a staging database, and rating values for selected
interpretations were generated. The list of selected interpretations is
stored in the database table named sainterp.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Process_Date: 20061211

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Soil scientists entered/edited data in NASIS for geomorphic description and selected chemical and physical properties. The Natural Resources Conservation Service State Soil Scientist or delegate verified that the labels on the digitized soil map units link to map units in the tabular database, and certified the joined data sets for release to the Soil Data Warehouse. A system assigned version number and date stamp were added and the data were copied to the data warehouse. The tabular data for the map units and components were extracted from the data warehouse and reformatted into the soil data delivery data model, then stored in the Soil Data Mart. The spatial data were copied to the Soil Data Mart without change.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Process_Date: 20061211

Process_Step:

Process_Description: The tabular data were extracted from the data mart without change. The spatial data's coordinate system was transformed to UTM Zone 18, Northern Hemisphere (NAD 83) using ESRI ArcObjects 8.3 "ConvertFeatureClass" and exported to an ESRI shapefile.

Source_Used_Citation_Abbreviation: NASIS

Process_Date: 20061213

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Planar:

Grid_Coordinate_System:

Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator

Universal_Transverse_Mercator:

UTM_Zone_Number: 18

Transverse_Mercator:

Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600

Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -75.000000

Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000

False_Easting: 500000.000000

False_Northing: 0.000000

Planar_Coordinate_Information:

Planar_Coordinate_Encoding_Method: coordinate pair

Planar_Distance_Units: meters

Coordinate_Representation:

Abscissa_Resolution: 0.000064

Ordinate_Resolution: 0.000064

Geodetic_Model:

Horizontal_Datum_Name: North American Datum of 1983

Ellipsoid_Name: Geodetic Reference System 80

Semi-major_Axis: 6378137.000000

Denominator_of_Flattening_Ratio: 298.257222

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Special Soil Features

Entity_Type_Definition:
Special Soil Features represent soil, miscellaneous area, or landform
features that are too small to be digitized as soil delineations
(area features).

Attribute_Definition:
Special Soil Features labels represent specific Special Soil
Features. These features are identified with a descriptive
label. The label is assigned to the point or line assigned
to represent the feature on maps.

Codeset_Name:
Classification and Correlation of the Soils of Schenectady
County, New York

Codeset_Source:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources
Conservation Service

Overview_Description:

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview:

Map Unit Delineations are closed polygons that may be dominated
by a single soil or miscellaneous area component plus allowable
similar or dissimilar soils, or they can be geographic mixtures
of groups of soils or soils and miscellaneous areas.
The map unit symbol uniquely identifies each closed map unit
delineation. Each symbol corresponds to a map unit name. The
map unit key is used to link to information in the National
Soil Information System tables.
Map Unit Delineations are described by the National Soil
Information System database. This attribute database gives the
proportionate extent of the component soils and the properties for
each soil. The database contains both estimated and measured data
on the physical and chemical soil properties and soil
interpretations for engineering, water management, recreation,
agronomic, woodland, range, and wildlife uses of the soil.
The National Soil Information System database contains static
metadata. It documents the data structure and includes such
information as what tables, columns, indexes, and relationships
are defined as well as a variety of attributes of each of these
database objects. Attributes include table and column
descriptions and detailed domain information.
The National Soil Information System database also contains a
distribution metadata. It records the criteria used for selecting
map units and components for inclusion in the set of distributed
data.
Special features are described in the feature table. It includes an
area symbol, feature label, feature name, and feature description for
each special and ad hoc feature in the survey area.

Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer
system at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, no warranty expressed
or implied is made by the Agency regarding the utility of the data
on any other system, nor shall the act of distribution constitute
any such warranty. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will warrant
the delivery of this product in computer readable format, and will
offer appropriate adjustment of credit when the product is determined
unreadable by correctly adjusted computer input peripherals, or
when the physical medium is delivered in damaged condition. Request
for adjustment of credit must be made within 90 days from the date
of this shipment from the ordering site.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, nor any of its agencies are
liable for misuse of the data, for damage, for transmission of
viruses, or for computer contamination through the distribution of
these data sets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political
beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all
prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Access_Instructions: Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email
address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via
anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request
at Web site and receipt of email message.

Access_Instructions: Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email
address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via
anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request
at Web site and receipt of email message.

Access_Instructions: Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email
address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via
anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request
at Web site and receipt of email message.

Access_Instructions: Select desired survey area at above Internet Web site. An email
address is required for receipt of instructions on retrieval via
anonymous FTP. Anticipate a delay between submission of request
at Web site and receipt of email message.

Fees: There is currently no direct charge for requesting data or for
retrieval via FTP.

Ordering_Instructions: Visit the above mentioned Internet Web Site, select state or
territory, then select individual soil survey area of interest.
Spatial line data and locations of special feature symbols are in
ESRI ArcGIS (ArcView,ArcInfo) shapefile, coverage and interchange
(i.e., export) formats. The National Soil Information System
attribute soil data are available in variable length, pipe
delimited, ASCII file format.

Turnaround: Typically within four hours

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 20061213

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service